The windows of Heaven 24 September 2009

0503 These are the Rentaria, Trejo and Vazquez Family. I am adopting them as part of my family! I love them all.

We preach Heavenly Father. The true nature of He and His Beloved have been revealed. Yesterday I experienced the windows of heaven pouring out and I testify there was "not... room enough to recieve it" (Malachi 3).

Things that must be written by constraint of the spirit and things that may never leave the cavity of my mind came to pass. My cup runs over. The truth restored was born witness again to me.
Last Thursday at a chili cook-off two families came unanounced. These dear families were led by the hand of the Lord (through their GPS) to the church with perfect timing! They were trying to get to the Menonite center for new comers but the GPS brought them to us.
The spirit spoke to me and told me we needed to speak to them. We did and found they were poor in spirit. They are a delightful family originally from mexico.
The Vazquez family (also from mexico) invited the Rentarias and Trejos to come to their home and be taught and fed. As we taught the spirit directed that we commit them to baptism. They will be baptized on the day I entered the MTC 2 years ago.
I rejoice in the great things the Lord has prepared for us. A simple question can't do justice but HOW MERCIFUL IS HE?
I am finding that coming unto Christ I can walk on water. I'm witnessing others doing likewise! (matthew 14:26-31).
I love you.
Eldre McCarty

Home away from all of you! ... 16 September 2009‏

(sigh) First of all it's hard to imagine that 23 months ago I was getting packed to go to the MTC. Time is a liar sometimes I think... ok maybe not really.

Last night I had what I subject lined home away from all of you. Sister Suzanna Bezooyen and her kids Sariah, Benjamin, Daniel, and Joseph Raymant are in the picture I sent. First of all Sister Bezooyen resembles some my Mom. That's something that makes it really nice to see them often. The Boys are the same that last week I wrote about my companion wrestling with. They're like brothers and the family really feels like the adopt us.

Last night we had supper there. My companion and one of their boys quoted pages of the script for The princess bride. Roaring with laughter for the entirety of our supper appointment our side aches eventually set in and the time for the message had come.

It was powerful to me to witness the spirit flood into our hearts despite and perhaps encouraged by the joy we had in our more secular discussions over the meal. I think that a spirit of brotherhood came from the secular discussion and a spirit of God complimented nicely to it as we taught and testified of the gospel and church. We taught about revelation and the importance of our prayers. I could see in each of the childrens eyes the real desire to know the way we explained. Sister Bezooyen reminded me again of my mom as she looked at my companion and I with deep gratitude for the impact the spirit had on her children.

One experience like a drop in the ocean of my mission. I would if I had the power and time pour into each of you the Love and Joy that entertwines this great work.

I miss and love you but the day will come soon enough that we'll greet.

love,

Eldre McCarty

483 Bezooyen/Raymant family pre- Elder Judd. Elder Williamsen and Myself.

Dan Jones 9 September 2009‏

Irony is threaded throughout the fresh beginning of the dying transfer. Yes it's true, believe it or not (and sometimes I do not) this is the last of my transfers as a full time missionary in my youth. Elder Williamsen has been called to other pastures and is now serving in Red Deer 1st ward. He'll be good for the area and his new companion.

This very transfer brought about Elder Samuel Judd from Mesa Arizona. He's a great missionary full testimony and the fire which we now endearingly call "Dan jones Fire." Greenie is no longer a word here in the CEM (canada edmonton mission.) Herein lies the Irony and the genius of Heavenly Fathers plan. Elder Judd Flew into the mission monday and came to River Valley ward yesterday. Amazing that in order for there to be NO winding down as a reminder and assistance I'm now serving with someone for whom I have partial responsibility to WIND UP.

I'm thrilled about the opportunity and humbled by the task. The Lord will make it happen.

President Rhodes gave a profound reminder tuesday at the Trainer meeting. He called a young Elder up who had just arrived. He asked him some questions. "Who's hands were laid on your head prior your mission? What very special place did you go to prepare you to come? Probably your Fathers but what happened when someone laid their hands upon your head to ordain you?" The answer to these is simple and almost directed. HOWEVER the point is profound.EVERY missionary has been SET APART, ENDOWED, and males ORDAINED to the holy priesthood. How than could anyone reasonably say a more experienced missionary is in any way more capable of doing the Lords will than the "dan jones's" that arrived this week.Dan Jones.... He was a man in the early days of the church. Considered and proclaimed one of the greatest missionaries of this dispensation. The night before the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred Dan Jones was informed by the prophet "You will yet see Wales." Wales was in part where he thrusted in the sickle and laid up great things in store. THOUSANDS of people were converted by his preaching.

This is the way I am viewing Elder Judd. He's a pretty humble guy and a little quiet but he will be Dan Jones.

This week things have been great. I wrestled (very briefly) with a young man in the ward. He wanted to wrestle to submission.

I saw Ryan Moore a young man from Rocky Mountain House (my first area) who is now waiting on a Visa to go to Utah for the MTC and eventually to California to serve his full time mission! It was AMAZING to see him in our trainers meeting. He'll be serving with Elder Wright until he is able to cross the border.

Leerena is coming along. She's a single mother and has a lot on her plate. As we rode the bus to go to an appointment with her we saw a young woman and a young man that seemed familiar on the bus. They were kissing about every 5 seconds and so I found it a little strange. In any case we paid as little attention to it as we could. We hopped off the bus and walked to our bikes from which we rode to Leerenas home. We walked in and started talking with her and a knock came at the door. Ironically it was Leerena's little sister and her sisters boyfriend! ha ha we had the opportunity to testify and teach a little despite that Leerena's sister doesn't believe in and is mad at God. Yes... She said both of those things in the same breath too. ha ha I asked how can you be mad at someone you don't believe in? A bit of a smart alic remark but I was really confused. I then apologized for my rude question and testified that he's there and loves her. Yep missionaries still make silly mistakes but the atonement is still there!

I love the Lord and the work.

Eldre McCarty

90 This is Elder Judd and I playing a little game this afternoon while we waited for the churches email server to get back online.

91 Here's Elder Sandstrom and I for the last time together doing our translation pose. In Red Deer when we were both brand new everyone teased us about how much we wanted to be obedient and work hard so they said we were going to be taken up like the city of enoch so we decided this is the pose we'd be in if we ever did! He's home as of today!

Meek 2 September 2009‏

In Zone Conference recently President Rhodes taught "Most of what you call deep doctrine really isn't. It's side speculation. If you want deep find the answer to 'how can I be meek like the Father is?' that's doctrine worth knowing."Meekness is part of a wide array of Christ-like attributes that we as missionaries need to obtain.When persecutions rage, when mobs combine, when armies assemble and calumny defames meekness yet triumphs.When the guy at the door is not interested, when weekly planning seems to hit a wall, when someone turns down a commitment meekness keeps us going.When the car doesn't start, when the economy flops, the structure of society seems collapsing, meekness will unify us to our Lord of Hosts.So what does it mean to be meek? I think true meekness flourishes from a condition of the heart. If our whole soul is full of charity we must needs be meek.This week we've had blessings which overflow. The Lord provided the way for Sa ada to be baptized despite a language obstacle.A woman married to a member of the church agreed to investigate again.The Dugarte family (a family from venazuela) came to church. Our district and another got together for a combined district meeting at which a RM spake helping us to desire to light within us something more.I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the fact that happiness is the Plan.

I miss you all.

Eldre McCarty

0475 Here's our combined district meeting! We ALL put our cameras on a car and pushed the timer. Surprisingly the picture turned out pretty nice. In the back row Elder Saunderson is experiencing what we call the pocket puke. Perfect timing for the picture!